Back in the Game... With a problem. Need some help.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I just went threw this exact same thing the past few days. I had my tank mini cycle right after I got my rays on Saturday. I successfully beat it by changing 20 gallons a day since it's a 220 gallon so approximately 1/10 of the tank volume every day. I also cut back to one light feeding a day to slow the ammonia output of my fish. I also forced my intakes to suck in the crap from the dead spot in my aquarium where crap collects and doesn't get sucked into any of my three intakes. The theory behind this is that I have the bacteria in my filters but it isn't sufficient enough to keep up with the tank so like all things to get them to grow you have to feed it right? So I didn't siphon out any crap for the past four days and simply siphoned out water and forced my intakes to take in all the crap so it would feed the bacteria in the filters. So yesterday I decided to do a second 20 gallon change 12 hours after the normal 20 gallon water change to hopefully accelerate the ammonia reduction. Then today I decided that I am too impatient and I wanted to dose with prime because I am too impatient for my own good and I know that prime would help but before I decided to add the prime I figured I would test my water just to see where I was with ammonia (because I personally hate adding anything at all to my water if I don't absolutely have to) and my test came up with 0 ppm even though yesterday before my second water change I was at .5 ppm which came down from my highest of 1 ppm. So no believing I did the test correct, I retested the water 4 times to confirm that it actually was 0 ppm and all four tests came up with 0 ppm. So I succeeded in cycling my 220 with two rays and three 7-9" ntts in four days and going from 1 ppm to 0 ppm in only four days without adding prime. I hope my experience helps and good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I just did another water change. 70% and adding bottled bacteria (i doubt it would work but better than nothing). Swapped some filter media from my 125 to my 300. and rays are active and eating well. But nitrites are rising too. I dont think my wet dry collected enough bacteria. I'll post an update if anything happens. but from now on i'll be doing daily water changes of around 40 - 50 gallons.
 
Update on the tank... So i believe my tank readings are false in the ammonia aspect as it reads at an 7... and my rays are eating and active... i assume it is the prime and ammo chips. But my nitrites were around a 2. so i did a 70% water change and got it back to a 1. ammonia still reads around a 6 though. I just added a power head to get rid of the dead spot behind my DIY pvc overflow... Im also planning on adding a FX6 onto the tank tonight as it shipped in finally from black friday. Added some more bottled bacteria (i feel like its a waste of money. no clue why i bought it... was desperate i guess...) My water smelled foul so i definitely think the nitrites are a bit high, but that was due to the rotting fish fillets i missed from the dead spot i just cleaned today. I have also seeded more from other tanks. But still no availe after 2 days. Did some research on bacteria... Nitrobacter bacteria is the bacteria primarily found in cycled tanks that convert nitrites to nitrates. But At optimum efficiency... nitrobacter bacteria multiplies every 13-20 hours... that is an insane amount of time... there must be a faster way. As for ammonia to nitrates nitrosoma bacteria multiplies every 6-8 hours... which isnt a problem as i have ways to counter the ammonia.. does anyone have any ideas how to get the nitrosoma to cycled faster?
 
Jesseliu13 said:
Update on the tank... So i believe my tank readings are false in the ammonia aspect as it reads at an 7... and my rays are eating and active... i assume it is the prime and ammo chips. But my nitrites were around a 2. so i did a 70% water change and got it back to a 1. ammonia still reads around a 6 though. I just added a power head to get rid of the dead spot behind my DIY pvc overflow... Im also planning on adding a FX6 onto the tank tonight as it shipped in finally from black friday. Added some more bottled bacteria (i feel like its a waste of money. no clue why i bought it... was desperate i guess...) My water smelled foul so i definitely think the nitrites are a bit high, but that was due to the rotting fish fillets i missed from the dead spot i just cleaned today. I have also seeded more from other tanks. But still no availe after 2 days. Did some research on bacteria... Nitrobacter bacteria is the bacteria primarily found in cycled tanks that convert nitrites to nitrates. But At optimum efficiency... nitrobacter bacteria multiplies every 13-20 hours... that is an insane amount of time... there must be a faster way. As for ammonia to nitrates nitrosoma bacteria multiplies every 6-8 hours... which isnt a problem as i have ways to counter the ammonia.. does anyone have any ideas how to get the nitrosoma to cycled faster?
Click to expand...

Bottled bacteria works lol. Its far from a waste of money. I use safestart and stability and it definitely works the way it is suppsed to.
 
Jesseliu13 said:
I just did another water change. 70% and adding bottled bacteria (i doubt it would work but better than nothing). Swapped some filter media from my 125 to my 300. and rays are active and eating well. But nitrites are rising too. I dont think my wet dry collected enough bacteria. I'll post an update if anything happens. but from now on i'll be doing daily water changes of around 40 - 50 gallons.
Click to expand...

Just keep up on the daily WCs mate, for couple weeks I'd say before it settles down.
Reduce the feeding ever so slightly will help.

I have a 4x2 grow out for my Hystrix and am paranoid about my water quality so religiously do daily wc of around 40 gallons.

Have you got much decor in the tank? Maybe some crap is harbouring amongst it also or uneaten food, which sould keep playing havoc. Sorry if you've mentioned these deteils becore


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
no, currently running a wet/dry bioball, pot scrubbies and ceramic media.... im thinking of using a moving bed filter... but not sure how to make one myself...
 
Jesseliu13 said:
no, currently running a wet/dry bioball, pot scrubbies and ceramic media.... im thinking of using a moving bed filter... but not sure how to make one myself...
Click to expand...

There's various simple ways, easiest is if you have a simp I guess. The K1 needs contact with the air, but lots of people just use a sealed drum type thing, pump water in, lots of air to agitate all the media from air stones and just dump back in the tank. Check the DIY section, should be plenty of methods, it works a treat.
Keep up your very regular WCs while the fluidised bed gets properly cycled, anyone correct me if I'm wrong here as my knowledge isn't all that indepth


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom